Goodbye Gambia, Gatwick bound.

Afternoon all, for possibly the last time. The ambulance has been handed over with pomp and circumstance to the clinic in Fagikunda, which has been added to the fleet that now has a running total of 1 ambulances to help it serve its catchment area of 67000 souls. Puts things in perspective, doesn't it; I'll never moan about the NHS again (unless I catch MRSA). Prayers were said for the van and its erstwhile occupants (though I suspect its future occupants will be in rather more pressing need of divine intervention) and the chief and other village dignitaries were on hand to thank our delivery crew and pose for pictures. The clinic seemed mightily impressed with the meatwagon: the Sister who runs the place is now coralling a posse of volunteer drivers who can be summoned when the van is called upon to ferry the poorly. Apparently, she hadn't told her staff when she heard the ambulance was coming, as she didn't believe it and thought it was too good to be true. As far as I know though, no-one has cracked the classic Eric Morecambe gag during the entire trip, which is disappointing frankly. I wish I'd gone now - I'd have done it EVERY DAY. Which may be why I wasn't invited... or perhaps it just never went fast enough.

This update came from the airport, to which they were ferried direct from the handover ceremony, where our protagonists are enjoying the final vestiges of Gambian hospitality with beers in the sun on the terrace in the company of the remaining PBCers. The plane leaves around 1700h and lands around 2300h as long as the wind is favourable and Gambian Airport Refuelling Ltd. remember to wind the rubber band up all the way before take-off. This time tomorrow, you can get your own updates from the people who were there instead of having your info filtered through my tortuous syntax. So it's adieu, until I build the new website. Cheers - Phil.

*EDIT* - Added pic from Alex's collection, Joe & Alex and the Clinic staff.

Brief notes from Banjul

Hello all. Just a very quick note. After parades through a sacred ceremonial arch, a few Gambian sherberts and the first of the auctions, tomorrow sees the return of three of our triumphant travellers (Chris is back already). I was going to borrow the open-topped bus off Andy Flintoff but apparently he's not got it any more... oh well. The Meatwagon is being prepped for delivery to the hospital tomorrow morning and the team are catching their final rays on the beach before the off. The plane back - already dubbed the 'Party Plane' - is stuffed to the gunwales with PBCers so the fun won't really end till they touch down at Gatwick in the early hours of Wednesday (24 Jan). Nothing like Gatwick to bring you down to earth with a bump, often literally. The weather will also be a bit of a shock for them. I'm trying to be sympathetic. Honest.

Chris has already sent the first pictures in - attached is the convoy (10-4) in the desert, to prove they didn't just drive round Marbella a few times and spin a good story - and as the others arrive back I'll update the website, probably next Monday or Tuesday, with the full panoply of piccies and accompanying captions. Cheers - Phil.

The Eagle has Landed

Success! Just received an update from Joe whilst stood in the Safari Garden Hotel. Against just about every mechanical and bureaucratic setback possible, the ambulance and the jeep have made it the 2700 miles as the crow flies from Portsmouth to Banjul and arrived absolutely bang on target. I cannot even begin to tell you how staggering I think this is, given all that's been thrown at them, so jolly good show, what!

Minor details: they still need to find some accomodation: the SGH is actually a little way outside Banjul and is full. The auctions are now staggered over several days, so the plan is to keep the jeep as a runaround till just before they all leave the Gambia. I think they want to offload the meatwagon ASAP, as soon as they hose all the Canadians out of it ;)

In other news, the website passed 1000 visitors at almost exactly the same time. Spooky coincidence, or divine providence? You decide. More details as I get them. Cheers - Phil.

UPDATE: 1700h. The total mileage on the ambulance was 4116 miles from NIREX car-park to the Safari Garden Hotel. Chris and Alex went to the school on Bakalarr that Pageant supports before crossing the river today to say hello: the head is planning to meet them for coffee in Banjul tomorrow. There's a free dinner at the SGH for all the PBC teams tonight, which will no doubt be a civilised and reserved affair. Black tie I should hope. Most of the teams are flying back on the same plane as our lot (Tue 23 early am: Providence help any non-PBC people on that plane...) so there's a few days of unwinding, swapping tales of derring do and cementing friendships to go.

So that's it. I wouldn't expect too much more from me now till they get back with some photos to publish, at which point I'll revamp the website and try to find it a permanent home; I can't leave it on the Uni servers forever (all donations of webspace gratefully accepted and rewarded with a sponsor's link). If you want to send congratulatory messages, rude remarks, demands for payment or entries into the Reader's Digest Prize Draw to any of the team then probably the best thing to do is to post a message on the forum and I'll pass it on best I can: if there are enough messages I'll compile them into a new page on the website/blog.

I beg leave to remain, Sirs, your humble and obedient servant,

Phil.

Gruelling Banjuls

Morning all. 8 am update: The entire convoy of 20-odd vehicles all eventually made it to the Gambian border around midnight after a nightmare crawl along Senegalese roads which have 'potholes the size of... England'. Everyone sailed through Gambian customs, nice chaps who even took the trouble to say 'Welcome to Gambia', unlike every other border guard they've encountered. They were furnished with escorts by 'Uncle Sam Security', sent as guides by the hotel, since the border area is a little bohemian, ripe for gentrification in estate-agent speak, who whisked them to a secure compound where they spent the night in their vehicles waiting for the ferry to open. (I assume the secure compound is a locked fenced area, rather than a heavily guarded bottle of, say, potassium permanganate *bdum-tish!*)

[tumbleweed]

Ahem. Our determined double duo were first up this morning and are thus the first of the PBC-ers in the ferry queue (but many Gambians got up even before them, so there's still a long wait; the ferry only takes 6 vehicles at a time, see pic [Wikipedia]). The Safari Garden Hotel is about a mile the other side of the river, where our mechanical missionaries can finally offload the vehicles (which are currently full of rescued Canadians - hope someone finds them a good home), with a tear and a wave no doubt and go off on a jolly for a few days. Sorry, did I say jolly? I meant cultural exchange to add valuable context to the fundraising effort. We'll hold the celebrations till they actually hand the vehicles over, but the fat lady with the pointy helmet is warming up in the wings... Cheers - Phil.

Sayonara Senegal

A convoy of 28 vehicles left Zebrabar about 1100h this morning (16 Jan). It's 300 miles to the Gambian border, they've got a full tank of gas, probably no cigarettes, it's not dark and they're wearing sunglasses. Hit it! Should reach Gambia about 1800h ish: then it's more border shenanagins and the long queue for the "Ferreeee... 'cross the Gambiaaaaa" (That doesn't really work either does it...) Little chance of comms till then, so probably no more bulletins today. Oh, and they've finally got the CD player to work in the ambulance. Cheers - Phil.

UPDATE: They've reached the Touba district of Diourbel. Apparently it's 'too hot' : a difficult concept to grasp for someone who's about to cycle home. Still some way to go... 106 miles as the crow flies to Banjul.

Zebrabar R&R

Hello all. Had a few more nuggets of info from the team so worth putting fingers to keyboard I thought. They got to the campsite about 0130h this morning, with 7 people in the back of the van and according to Debbie's report, not unreasonably hit the bar. A round of applause greeted their arrival, both for actually making it and the heroic rescue mission. Brings a tear to yer eyes *sniff*. Mauritanian customs had turned at least one person back at the border (from the extended convoy, not our intrepid four), not sure why. They are currently relaxing on the beach - the first real rest day our quartet have had since the off, given the problems they've had - my contact was standing in the sea with the sun in her hair as we spoke. I'm about to cycle home in the rain and I've forgot my gloves...

There is talk of all the PBC teams currently at Zebrabar setting off in one big convoy (impossible to use that word without mentally saying '10-4 Rubber Duck there's Smokey on your backdoor [younger readers - ask your parents or go here ]). The 'customs escort' has been procured (in much the same way as 'safe parking' is procured in the streets surrounding most Northern football grounds on match day no doubt) for the three remaining vehicles of the original convoy. It is, [insert deity of choice] willing, Banjul itself tomorrow; about 300 miles to go. Let's hope the rapidly segmenting ambulance can survive the shaking and extra load long enough to still be an ambulance when it gets there. Cheers - Phil. Oh, pic is aerial view of current billet.

Boiiiiiing... said Zebrabar

Quick and dirty update: The decision was made for the whole convoy to leave for Zebrabar campsite early Sunday (14 Jan) morning. The smart money, from the outset, was on the Mauritania exit/Senegal entry border crossing to be the worst of them all. Add the complication that half of the travellers were no longer piloting the vehicles they were supposed to be removing from Mauritania and the book was firmly closed: this would be a nightmare. Next comms were at around 1930h: after a difficult journey, serious border problems were confirmed. At least 1 vehicle was still waiting for an exit stamp at 2145h and final comms were at 2300h confirming that all the vehicles were finally through and leaving the border area. It's about 55km from the checkpoint to the campsite so one assumes that our Fab Four reached Zebrabar sometime around midnight.

I'm a little sketchy as to what happens next. The PBC website suggests that they now get a customs escort across Senegal to border with The Gambia, as the Senegalese apparatchiks are apparently none too chuffed at having these convoys in the country; something to do with import prohibitions for vehicles over 4 years old. I'm not sure if there is a rest day first or if that's happening today. The auction of the remaining vehicles is on the 17th (I think), so that's really the only remaining deadline.

For those of you who've arrived late: there's also a website that goes with this blog that has maps, routes etc on it. If you haven't already, click on it: would be nice to get the counter over the 1000 mark before the team get back. Cheers - Phil.

PS: The team have had a nice e-mail from Ringwood School (see the website for an explanation):

Hi to the Ice Cold Team from Ringwood School!!!! We are following your progress with interest, best wishes to Chris!! it seems a long time since the meeting at school and in the Tesco car park ! Keep up the good work, we are all supporting you every step of the way. Regards, Chris Edwards, Headteacher.
Thanks Chris and hi to everyone at Ringwood. Now get on with your GCSE coursework and stop mucking around on the interweb ;)

And ye, that on the sands with printless foot...*

Welcome once again, scattered readers and hark ye well, for I have received news and beg a tale to tell. The convoy that entered the desert grew to 7 vehicles: our familiar pair, a Renault R19 (Camel Tow), a Peugeot 405 (Def.Intrepid), a Beetle (Getcha Motor Running) and Fiats Uno (Engineered to Destruction) and Croma (2Porsche2Push), ably guided by local lad Dahia. Already experiencing unfamiliar conditions - geography not my strong point but even I know rain, wind and cloud cover are not normal utterences for Africa's Wincy Willises - things proceeded to get steadily worse, with the wind whipping up the dunes into a sandstorm the likes of which our guide professed to never have beholden before. (That sentence begs a Long John Silver style 'Aaarrrr Haaaarrrr!' at the end, so treat yourself to one even though it's a long time till International Talk Like A Pirate Day). With visibility severly reduced and airborne sand ingressing into places not kindly disposed theretowards, the first casualty of day one in the desert was the 405. Repairs are now out of the question - no life-saving Morrocan 3 to call on - so the 405 was abandoned and its occupants distributed amongst the remaining vehicles. The campsite was reached that evening, when the guide became ill and the assembled throng dined on camel: whether these two event are connected was not disclosed to your reporter. A Bedouin style tent was erected for the nights repose, which of course fell over in the middle of the night, forcing the camel-fed intrepids to finish their slumber in the vehicles.

The next day (Friday) dawned with no abatement of the sandstorm in evidence and the combination of gruelling roads and windblown abrasive tolled the death knell for another vehicle; the Croma. Again, repairs, however valiantly attempted, were futile and the occupants were redistributed: suddenly, the value of having a large van in one's convoy, even if dressed as an ambulance, became evident to many of the participants. Nightfall saw a beach camp established.

The value of the ambulance moved from invaluable to priceless in one fell swoop today, the final day of the desert saga, when the conditions defeated the Renault. The convoy now had to distribute 14 people amongst the four remaining (alreadily heavily laden) vehicles: one doesn't need a Phd in Resource Management to fathom a wager on which vehicle is bearing the brunt. In fact - and here's the first real victim of the merciless sand - all the medical hardware collected by Alex for the Gambian hospitals has had to be jettisoned to make room for the shipwrecked deserteers. Although slightly tempered by Dahia's promise to return to salvage it from the dunes and pass it amongst the equally needy local medical facilities, this has taken a little of the gloss off the fundraising effort. For the greater good though: Team IceCold are now genuine PBC heroes. As well as the meatwagon's omnibusian efforts, the Suzuki Jeep continues to perform faultlessly, even pulling fellow convoyers out of the drifting sands from time to time: not bad for a little 1300 beantin. Think my next car might be Japanese...

The convoy pulled into the campsite cum hostel in Noukachott late this afternoon (Sat 13 Jan), again in wordless agog at the sight of hot running water, to recover their strength for the push to Senegal tomorrow. Some of the genuine Paris-Dakar Rally runners and followers are bunking with them so no doubt tales of derring do are being swapped over campfires and cold ones as we speak. Despite the trials and tribulations, they're still bang on target. The next section apparently has the worst 'roads' of the whole trip, and given the slightly worrying reports that the Transit and Ambulance sections of the meatwagon are slowly parting company, this is not good news. Still, all good character-forming stuff. Four days to go till the auction in Gambia.

I think that's it: I've wrung the last narrative jices from the wisps of information I hastily scratched down when Joe rang, so I'll leave you there. The convoy passes back into radio silence now for a day or so: more news when I get it. Until next time, cheers - Phil.

PS. I went to both Tesco's and the opticians today, but I think you've had enough excitement for this instalment, so I'll tell you about that another time.

*The Tempest a5 s1 1.33.

***no signal***

Just to prove that that was absolutely the last communique until emerging from the desert, here's a report to confirm that there's nothing to report:

Nothing to report.

Furthermore, I haven't been to Tesco's or the opticians yet, so I can't tell you about that either. Did go to Asda though. Shocking queues.

Have a good weekend everybody. To keep you going, here is a picture of the Richat Structure, one of the most striking geological features in the world, which is in the Mauritanian desert. I don't know if our people pass it though. Cheers - Phil.

Just Deserts (sorry)

So it's finally into the desert... Chinese was very nice last night and the rested team are about to set off. A few odds and ends to report now. I've been asked to thank some people the convoy encountered at the Sahara Regency Hotel in Dakhla: Freya and co. from fishing trip gurus regencyfishingadventure.com (website not quite up yet) who organised mechanics for 5 poorly vehicles in the convoy, found the restaurant for them and are all round general nice guys. Thanks people: I'll put a proper link on the website when yours is up and running. The guide for the convoy is called David (Arabic Da'ud or Dawud). Let's hope meetings with metaphorical Goliaths can be kept to a minimum for a change.

Time for another pic: this time, the scenic entrance to Nouamghar National Park courtesy of photosaroundtheworld.wordpress.com. I'm not sure if that wall's to keep things in or out... Cheers - Phil.

UPDATE: Absolutely positively the last communique before emerging from the desert in 2-4 days time: a puncture has been suffered and fixed between 0930 and 1030 - they had some trouble getting the wheel off - and the convoy has been swelled by the arrival of another group. There was also a scurrilous comment about Russell's food intake but I couldn't possibly repeat that.

Hello Mauritania, Goodbye Western Sahara/Moroocco depending on your political allegiance...

The convoy rolled up to the border around midday (10 Jan), were processed by Moroccan customs (who currently police the Western Sahara/Mauritania border) just after 1400, trepidously traversed the heavily mined 7km (4 mile) no-man's land, presented their credentials at the trio of huts that consitutes the Mauritanian side of the border and were through. Five and a half hours in total, which probably felt like an age to the other teams but just the merest brush with officialdom for our hardened border veterans compared to their 27 hour sojourn in Tangiers. A guide was swiftly procured - one of the conditions of passage for the PBC teams is that they use a local guide to help traverse the desert - then it was on to the campsite at Nouadhibou.

You'll all be devastated to learn that it's started raining after many days of unbroken sunshine; crossing the Sahara in the rain has a certain cachet, don't you think? Showered, shaved and shaken down, the convoy are off to a Chinese restaurant (well, when in Rome...), having decided by majority to take an extra day to cross the desert, arriving at Zebrabar campsite on the 14th Jan although I may have misunderstood this - it was a crackly line.

I'm amazed that the bulletins keep coming in - just when we're told that all comms will be lost, a pocket of mobile coverage appears and we're back in touch. The world really is a smaller place nowadays, isn't it. I'm not sure I'm going to need this carrier pigeon now, so I'm off to consult Hugh F-W's book for the best way to cook it. Waste not want not - there are people starving in Africa (apart from those in Chinese restaurants, obviously). Cheers - Phil.

Is this the way to Nou-a-dhi-bou / In an ambulance and a jeep too...

Morning all. Our tireless travellers caught up with their some of their truant teammates last night and took over a restaurant for the evening. They are, as I type, now in a convoy of 4 vehicles - no word on who the other teams are - on the dusty trail to Nouadhibou. In a few hours they should reach what by all accounts is the most traumatic part of the journey; dealing with the guards and officials at the Western Sahara/Mauritania border, who are generally less than delighted to have to deal with hordes of English lunatics re-enacting a cross between Wacky Races and Scrapheap Challenge. But then if a couple of dozen middle-class North Africans on knackered-looking camels and donkeys appeared at Portsmouth docks saying they were just going to trot across the country to Scotland for a laugh then HM Customs might well be similarly disposed, so I suppose one shouldn't be too surprised. Cheers - Phil.

UPDATE: the fellow pilgrims are Def.Intrepid (two Canadians in a Peugeot) and 2Porsche2Push in a Fiat from Group 2 (the convoy that set off from Plymouth on Boxing Day and are thus even further behind than our lot).

Deserted in Dakhla

Normal service has been resumed: the brakes have gone on the Meatwagon. So once again our valiant trailblazers (can you be a trailblazer at the back of the convoy?) were reduced to scouring the stalls of an African autojumble for bits. Fortunately, brakes are a little easier to deal with than engine/gearbox/fuelpump/UJ/magic elastic band that went wrong last time so they were up and running again by the afternoon. Oh, they do now have to suffer the minor inconvenience of losing servo assistance, delivering a real old-school braking experience of calf-straining vigour. Character building, I tell'ee.

The plot did thicken slightly this afternoon (as you may have noticed it is wont to do) on return to the campsite, whereupon they were rather surprised to discover that the fellow teams with whom they had arranged to travel onward to the Mauritanian border had developed cold feet about delaying the crossing by a few hours and all snuck off early. Bad form on the face of
it, in my opinion, and I hope our questing quartet get a proper explanation in the near future.

Still no pics, so attached is one for the RSPCA to worry about (courtesy of www.kolumn.pl): local transportation is clearly both less prone to mechanical breakdown than 80's Transit Ambulances and capable of similar load-carrying abilities. Perhaps next time, they should try the challenge on these. Cheers - Phil.

Note: Blogger.com's servers a playing up a bit so service is a bit spotty at the moment.

Message forum

Just a quickie - I've added a message forum to the website: click here to give it a go. Easier than the comments on this website but not moderated by me, so you can have discussions amongst yourselves without me looming over you. Cheers - Phil.

You Dakhla high road, and I'll Dakhla low road...

The Jap Jeep and the Meatwagon finally arrived at the campsite in Dakhla a little earlier than predicted, just after 1700h, the only minor hiccup being the gearstick coming off in Joe's hand (behave at the back, this is a family show) forcing a quick roadside repair. There is some excitement as apparently they have (whisper it) hot running water for only 10 Dirhams a go and fridges! I know some of the team are from Oxfordshire but surely that shouldn't have been too much of a shock. The cold showers and warm refreshment can now change places.

The ambulance was welcomed warmly by the other teams, most of whom were convinced that the Moroccan Customs Pound was the closest it was ever going to get to the Gambia. On further interrogation of said teams, it turns out that some of them are not going to move on tomorrow, as planned, but the day after (Wed 10 Jan). Since our stoic adventurers have done 931 miles since yesterday morning in two 14 hr stints, the plan now is to identify the group of people who also want to leave on Wed and form a convoy therewith, taking the chance to have a well earned slab of R&R tomorrow. According to someone who brought a GPS along for the ride (either a flash git or a very sage man - the trip through the desert will decide that) it's now 770 miles to Banjul as the crow flies. Unfortunately, since the answer to the question 'What have the Romans ever done for us' in these parts is 'b****r all', the road that leads there may well be considerably longer...

As I mentioned, it's pretty much radio silence from this point on so I may have to invent tales of derring do by way of an intermission to fill the space up till they come out of the desert. Or possibly tell you about my exciting travels to Tesco and the opticians. Or, you could all post your most exciting outings of the week. Perhaps you took potted meat sandwiches and a flask! Let us know by posting a comment. Cheers - Phil.

Leaving Laayoune, Driving for Dakhla.

Laayoune reached about 1040h, 500km to go to Dakhla after an early morning drive through the fog, but desert terrain means very sporadic mobile signals, so until the carrier pigeon arrives, there's not much more to add. They've lost another petrol cap and are currently using a piece of bread wrapped in a carrier bag. I think the heat must be getting to them. Still driving at 1300: by my reckoning, barring mishaps, they should arrive around 1800h tonight. I'm bored of seeing bare text so just for your delectation, I've included a nice picture of quaint Dakhla, courtesy of Wikipedia, to spice things up. Cheers - Phil.

Tan Tan, so good they named it twice

Hello everybody peoples! I've been to the pub and done the Sunday Times crossword in under 2.5 pints! A notable achievement I'll think you'll agree. Anyway, as much as I know you're fascinated by my lexicographical endeavours you'd probably rather have an IceCold2007 update... The team pulled into Tan Tan in time to catch the end of Deportivo la Corunia vs. Real Madrid on the telly which puts them 850km (530 miles) from Dakhla, tomorrow's (Mon 8 Jan) target. This is a seriously splendid achievement given recent tribulations and puts our intrepid explorers pretty much bang back on target. Huzzah! No mechanical problems to report (I know, weird as it seems, try to remain calm) so fingers crossed we're back on the timetable to triumph tomorrow. How cool is that!? Furthermore, I've been supplied with the names of the magical mechanics from Marrakesh who enabled this miracle: Ishmael, Omar and Mohammed. If you're reading this guys, then the sherberts are on me if you ever find yourselves at a loose end in Coventry. May the Prophet look kindly on your houses, your women and your livestock, Inshallah!
I'm told that an increasing number of people are looking in to this blog: apologies for the nonsense that intersperses the news, but a jolly good day to you all, especially Mrs Fisher Snr (Chris' Mum) who apparently checks this site every day at 6am - that's why I decided to update now rather than in the morning - and Mrs Fisher Jr. (Debbie, Chris' wife), a fellow PBC widow/er; we soldier on regardless; I'm with you sister! sending our best vibes to our partners in the Dark Continent. If any other team relatives/friends/creditors want a mention, leave a comment on the blog or e-mail us and I'll give you a big-up respek shout-out (as I believe the young people call it).
Isn't it fantastic to have both vehicles firing on all cylinders? Makes me feel so much better; but don't stop praying people - long way to go, game of two halves, not over till the fat lady sings etc etc. Until next time pop-pickers, Cheers - Phil.

Laayoune looming

Shhh... hear that? Exactly. That's the sound of an ambulance purring away through North West Africa with nary a hiccup. Now I know I've raised you on a diet of meatwagon calamities but you're going to have to face it: they're back on track, 5 by 5. True to their word they left Marrakech at 0530 this morning and have driven pretty constantly ever since, reaching Tizi n'Test pass around 0920, Agadir at 1300 and were about 500km N of Laayoune - the target waypoint for tonight - at 1600. The plan is to drive till they drop and start early again tomorrow. Now they're in deepest darkest Africa, the ability to send any pics by mobile has evaporated so it's just my evocative prose to keep you company till they hit something vaguely resembling civilisation again. Sorry about that.

The comments are working now - leave one if you like. They have to be moderated by me (else we get the usual Viagra/Nigerian royalty/etc spam filling them up) so they won't appear immediately but I'll get them up as soon as I can. Hi to Lisa from Cardiff who's the first outsider to leave a comment - follow her example please! Website update tomorrow - tell your friends if they haven't checked it so far. Cheers - Phil.

Get your motor running...

...but not get on the highway just yet. The fuel pump was, as usual, just the first thing in a long line of disasters that once again led to the non-departure of your scheduled service. However, in this case, the motor medic who had his turn at fiddling with our poorly patient-wagon couldn't communicate with Alex at all. This turns out not to be quite such a disaster - he got it running again after spending the thick end of 8 hours, avec a handful of his mechanics, up to his elbows in crappy English meatwagon and asked for less cash than it would cost you to buy a used mudflap from a UK mechanic - it's just we don't actually know what was wrong with it in the first place. Who cares! The thing is running and the current plan is to set off at around 0530 tomorrow (07 Jan) and dash for Dakhla via the mountains. The team are all tired and bored of a hot car-park in Marrakesh; when they booked back into the hotel, they got given the same rooms as they'd just vacated i.e., they could have spent the day in the sun by the hotel pool. I'd be sympathetic if I hadn't walked home from work in the rainy dark at 1645 today. Anyway, it look like we're as close to F.A.B. All Systems Go as we've been in a long while but don't ease off on the praying, finger crossing and wood touching - there's a long way to go yet.

Morning in Marrakesh

The saga continues. The ambulance has been to see the local engine doctor: he reckons it's not gearbox at all but the wrong type of fuel, using leaded in the unleaded engine, causing it to knock. It's a monster engine (2.9L V6) so I suppose it's possible that knocking could be confused with gearbox noise *strokes chin*. The fuel has been drained, put into the jeep and replaced with new blood from the jerry cans (UK fuel, so we know it's OK) but now the fuel pump has failed - no power. This thing is cursed. There's a man from the garage underneath it as I type though the last I heard there were sawing noises coming from its vicinity.. just been txted and apparently the fuel pump is knackered and is itself the likely cause of the noise. This is more convoluted than a Umberto Eco plot. I'm confused.

Presumably, the Moroccan motor medic will replace the fuel pump - not a difficult part to source - and they'll be off. I'll let y'all know as soon as I hear.

Made it to Marrakeshh

Teams arrived in Marrakesh around 2000h last night. They're having a day off to recuperate (bloody slackers) so I doubt we'll get much progress info today, though a pic or two as the sightseeing unfolds is always possible.

Update 1, 1047h. The ambulance has had an oil and filter change this morning but is still making knocking noises. Hopefully, it's just a junior clerk that Moroccan customs sealed into the back for a laugh trying to escape.

Update 2, 1144h. Knocking noises diagnosed by Gower Power team (who are mechanics, incidentally, not flower arrangers or professional violin players, and thus qualified) as dying gearbox main bearings, which will rapidly become terminal. So it's a gamble now: will the gearbox die before or after they get out of Morocco and thus incur the wrath of the Customs Gestapo? Place your bets please... incidentally, the SJ413 jeep seems to be running fine, in caseanyone was wondering. The teams are now in loose convoy with Rene's Kitchen Girls, Gower Power and one of the BMW teams (I think probably Teamcannonball but don't quote me on that) so they're not alone.

Update 3, 1806h. Various team members are/have been using their rest day to try and source a gearbox in Marrakech: no success so far as far as I know. It really needs to be fitted some time tomorrow (6 Jan) if the teams are to reach Dakhla on the 8th to prepare for the desert crossing. I'm actually going to do some work now so no more updates today, but am in tomorrow so stay tuned. Cheers - Phil.

Crisis in Khenrifa - UPDATED 1300h

About 350 km (about 220 miles) outside Marrakech, at a town called Khenrifa, the amublance has become seriously ill and and is currently suffering the indignities of having its undercarriage inspected by African mechanics and Alex... the UJ problems seem to have had repercussions further down the drive train but in its current state the ambulance can't continue. The mechanics are apparently hopeful of effecting a cure, but then the lure of a not-inconsiderable number of Euros makes mechanics the world over overflow with optimism. You're obviously not praying hard enough - pull your fingers out readers. On the plus side, it turns out that despite the delays, half a dozen or so other PBC teams were actually behind IceCold: they stopped to help as they passed our stranded strugglers. They hadn't realised the van had been impounded and thought IceCold were taking in the sights whilst searching for a UJ! So, as long as they can get the van working, then it's all systems go again.

As an adjunct to the customs saga, it turns out that the ambulance is now adorned with an official Moroccan Royal Seal keeping the doors shut, which has become an object of some admiration among the other PBC teams. More soon.

UPDATE: 1300h: They're on the road again, "Quiet and no fumes, cost 70 [euros] and some cigarettes". God bless the universal mechanic who'll do anything, anywhere, anytime for cash in the back pocket and some fags. The whole UK economy used to run on cash and fags, you know. Not any more, it's all VAT, self-assessment and lung cancer. I remember when it was all fields around here... *slap* sorry about that, drifted off for a moment. Onwards to Marrakech! Huzzah!
I've added links to some Google maps on the webpage for each of the waypoints in the proposed route. You'll have to zoom in and out to get context but I think they're pretty nifty. BTW, can somebody add a comment? I've no idea if the system is working...

Reaching Rabat: 1 day behind

The team rolled into Rabat yesterday evening, officially 1 day behind schedule. They were billeted at a hotel with a balcony overlooking a street billed as 'the Champs d'Elysees of Africa'... suffice to say the only similarity was the four lane intersection of milling traffic. It was even smellier than France. I believe a splendid nosh was partaken - "Fantastic dinner..." - and then the troops returned to barracks - "...now back in s**t room." I leave it to your imagination from whom I quote. They've yet to fix the UJ; Alex has discovered a reasonable speed at which the van doesn't vibrate and they're going to cruise at that, on the principle that if it ain't (completely) broke, don't fix it. Confident of reaching Marrakech in time to be grouped today, it looks like things are, fingers crossed/touch wood/sacrifice a chicken, back on track. Will update this entry if I hear anything before stumps today. Cheers - Phil.

Tangiers Red Tape

Pfft... where to begin? As soon as the convoy rolled off the ferry in Tangiers on New Year's Day, the local inspectors in the Customs office decided the ambulance wasn't a tourist vehicle and therefore an import permit was required. Cue impounding of the ambulance and a hunt for some local accomodation (Verdict: clean bedding but no hot water), followed the next day by a dash through the back-streets of Tangiers to rustle up the necessary documentation. First stop, the Embassy (Gawd Bless 'Er and all who sail in her) to get a bit of paper signed by His Excellency's staff stating that the ambulance was simply passing through and in the event of the team inadvertently mislaying it during their soujourn in Morocco, Her Maj's reps would foot the bill. Having secured this, the necessary "man who can" at the port who needed said document, had of course gone home for an African lunch, so after a long wait it was back to the port to add John Hancock's in blood to a seemingly ever-increasing pile of forms in the Port Commander's office. After 27 hours, the ambulance was released from custody around 6pm yesterday (2 Jan).

In parallel to this beuraucratic buffoonery was the hunt for a Universal Joint (UJ) for the ambulance... apparently, a man named Abdul had a cousin who could secure such a rare and prized delicacy for just a small consideration (I'm not making this up...) and promised to return tout suite therewith. Naturally, he didn't return at the promised hour of 8am this morning (3 Jan) but another has now been sourced by unspecified means. The team have decided they've had enough of Tangiers and are going to move on taking the part with them and fix the ambulance at a more convenient time. Last I heard they'd stopped for a spot of lunch as it was getting rather hot.

The upshot of all this is that the team are around a day and a half behind schedule. They need to make up a lot of time to reach Marrakesh soon enough to rendevous with the other teams and be attached to a larger group for the desert crossing. Hopefully, going round rather than over the Atlas Mountains will make up a bit of time but it will be very tight - so fingers crossed everybody.

The website should start to be updated from now on: I'll add the blog posts with some extra links and route resources etc., but the 'breaking news' will most likely remain here, although the team's texts to the PBC central computer system can be accessed from the Progress page on the website. Cheers - Phil.

UPDATE: The team are de-stressing at the famous Roman Ruins at Volubilis: soothing pic by Joe.

Happy New Year: Africa in our sights

Quick HNY from the team - pic shows them about to leave Gibraltar with the hazy peaks of North Africa looming across the Straits. The New Year party doesn't seem to have claimed anyone in the terminal sense, just the normal level of New Year's Day torpor in evidence, so it's onwards and upwards. First task on the Dark Continent: to source a universal joint for the ambulance somewhere in Tangiers or thereabouts. Such is the glamour of international exploration. Until next time - Cheers! - Phil.